Help required with a route please!

Hello. Myself and (sometimes) better half will be returning to the lakes at the end of November on foot this year (catching the train from York!) We will be arriving in Windermere and would like to spend four and a half days walking (stopping to kip in the tent!). We were thinking of walking from Windermere to Coniston...up and over the old man then heading over to Scafell pike, after that we really wanted to be able to get over to Helvellyn and then back down to Windermere. (Frustratingly I have got to the tarn twice but never to the top due to the weather!). I know the time of the year isn't the best but it's the only time we can get over and I'd love to get to the top!

Do you think this is a possible route for the daylight hours/time? My other half has a vast amount of night walking experience but my preference would be to do minimal in the dark. If this isn't a good route do you have any ideas for an alternative?

Thank you kindly, I anticipate your views!

Hi Pippa

In terms of distance if we look at it just plonking points down on the map and not worrying too much about the detail, its something like 10+miles a day for 4 days. There's around 7 hours of daylight give or take the weather. Which, if the weather is anything like the last few days it'll be impossible no matter how fit you are as you wont be able to cross the becks, or walk on the tops as even the MRT's have ended up crawling to rescue people. On good days it wouldn't outrageous. However...

The more I think about it, the less keen I am. I guess since you are asking, you have doubts too. There's a danger when you only have a specific window of opportunity like that to throw caution to the wind and go anyway. If as we go through November a stretch of settled weather comes along, then by all means plan the route in detail, including escapes and thinking about what might wrong. Not forgetting to take into account how tough some sections are, especially the boulder fields of the Pike. However, it's much more likely to be rough and changable so I'd stick with day walks and leave the backpacking till spring.

Sorry I can't be really positive about the idea.

Why not pick a selection of routes from this site and have 4 nice days on the hill, you can then choose the right route for the right day for the right conditions.

There is no need to "kill" yourselves trying to do too much in crappy conditions and remember the objective of the exercise is to have fun and get off the hill safely.

Jim